title: Imaging diagnosis-hypoglycemia associated with cholangiocarcinoma and peritoneal carcinomatosis in a horse.
abstract: An 8-year-old Thoroughbred mare presented for decreased appetite, ataxia, and weakness. Abdominal ultrasound revealed a large volume of anechoic fluid along with multiple masses involving the spleen, liver, and diaphragm. Pleural fluid was identified via ultrasonography and thoracic radiography. Thoracic radiographs also identified pulmonary interstitial nodules, an undulant dorsal diaphragmatic margin and enlargement of tracheobronchial lymph nodes. Clinical signs of weakness and mild seizures were concurrent with hypoglycemic episodes. The final diagnosis was cholangiocarcinoma with extensive metastasis. Clinical signs of weakness, ataxia, and seizures were attributed to a paraneoplastic syndrome of tumor-associated hypoglycemia that has been infrequently reported in horses.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50036.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hepworth
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yaeger
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miles
authors.forename: Conrad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wilgenbusch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006736:Horses; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000662:veterinary*; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000662:veterinary; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D010257:Paraneoplastic Syndromes / Q000662:veterinary*; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary / Q000662:veterinary*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000662:veterinary; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: abdominal; equine; hypoglycemia; neoplasia; seizures